Tuesday, 1 January 2013

WORLD BOXING FEDERATION WELCOME MALTA BACK

World Boxing Federation Welcome Malta Back Into The Fold

WBF Vice President Jean Marcel Nartz announced that the World Boxing Federation have renewed their affiliation with the Malta Boxing Commission (MBC), now presided over by two-division, two-weight world champion Steve ‘Celtic Warrior’ Collins.

The announcement comes just days after the newly reinvigorated MBC successfully sanctioned and officiated the first professional boxing championship event to take place on the islands since 1964, when John ‘Pancho’ Terribile became the first Maltese boxer to be crowned champion, following his outpointing Charles ‘Gypsy’ Scicluna in August of that year.

On making the announcement Nartz said, “We are pleased to welcome the MBC back into the ever growing WBF family.

The board of the MBC have worked extremely hard to strengthen their organization, since the removal from office of the former President Mr. Zammit in October.

Their determination to cement their position, as the officially recognized professional boxing organization on the islands, has seen them make various high profile appointments.

The most noticeable being the appointments of not one, but two renowned ex-world champions to head the board: Steve Collins, as president, and Tim Witherspoon as vice president.

Just last week the new board of the MBC successfully sanctioned their first event, the report from the independent observer praised them for the professionalism, and noted the extreme care that was taken, in matters of health and safety of the boxers competing, as well as the anti doping tests that were undertaken.

Taking all these matters into account lead to the WBF executive to back the MBC unconditionally. We look forward to soon sanction a WBF championship in Malta and thus stop unserious so-called sanctioning groups to damage the reputation of Maltese boxing and the MBC.”